Oyster-dredge



(No ModeL) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1. 0. 000K.

OYSTER DREDGE.

Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

n. PETERS, Phulo-Ldhngmphur. Washingun, n.c.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2-. 0. 000K. 7

OYSTER DREDGE.

No. 373,646. Patented Nov. 22, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER COOK, OF ROWAYTON, CONNECTICUT.

.OYSTER-DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,646, dated November22, 1887.

' Application filed July 9, 1887. Serial No. 243,810. (No model.)v

.To all whom it may can cam:

Be it known that I, OLIVER COOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rowayton, in the county of Fairfield and State ofConnectiout, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOyster-Dredges; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has for its object to so improve the construction ofoyster-dredges as to greatly simplify their mode of operation in use, sothat heavy dredges with large catches of oysters may be handled muchmore easily than heretofore and by a less number of men; An importantadvantage is that the bag remains in the distended position in use, bothparts being attached at both sides, so that it cannot round up whenfilled with oysters.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware,after drawing the dredge and its loadof oysters on board the vessel, in order to dump the dredge it has beennecessary to turn it over by main strength, requiring quite a number ofmen when large dredges are used. In order to wholly avoid this liftingof the dredges and their contents by main strength, I have devised thesimple and novel construction of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings,is a specification, numbersbeing used to denote the several parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating my improved dredge inoperative position; Fig. 2, a plan view corresponding therewith; Fig. 3,a side elevation illustrating the manner in which a catch of oysters isdumped; Fig. 4, a detail sectional view illustrating simple means forholding the two frames in the locked position; and Fig. 5is a similarview showing the holding devices in the unlocked position.

' 1 denotes the blade, which may be of the usual or any preferredconstruction.

- 2denotes the l0werdraft-arms,which areconnected to the ends of theblade; and 3, the upper draft'arms, which are connected to crosspiece 4,the ends of which in turn extend downward and are connected to the lowerdraftarms.

5 is a draft-chain, which is connected to an The device is then readyfor use.

eye formed at thejunction of the draft-arms, which are preferably weldedtogether.

These parts are all of ordinary construction, the details being whollyunimportant so far as my present invention is concerned, the gist ofwhich lies in providing two independent frames which are pivoted at theends of the blade.

The upper frame is designated as a whole by 6,and the lower frame by 7.The bottom S,consisting ordinarily of metal rings and links, is attachedto the lower frame in the ordinary manner.

9 denotes the netting, which is attached to the cross-piece in the usualmanner and to the upper frame, but is not connected in any way to thelower frame, as in ordinary dredges. The lower frame is ordinarily madefrom a single piece of metal bent to form three sides of a rectangle,theends thereof being pivotally connected to the blade. The upper frameconsists of two side pieces, also pivotal] y connected to the blade,whose outer ends are curved about an end bar, 10, forming eyes, in whichthelatter is free to turn.

11 denotes catches upon the cross-bar, which are adapted to engage theouter rail of the lower frame when the end bar is rotated, as clearlyshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. In order to disengage the frames from eachother it is simply necessary'to give the bar a partial turn,as in Fig.5, which disengages the catches from the outer rail of the lowerframe,leaving the frames free to separate and swing open, as in Fig. 3.

12 is a rod connected to the end bar, and 13 a link upon the side railof the lower frame, which is adapted to engage said rod,as in Fig. 1, tohold the end bar in the locked position, so that the frames cannotbecome separated. In use the frames are placed together, the catchescaused to engage the outer rail of the lower frame, and rod 121ocked bylink 13. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown it in the operative position. Itis dragged over the bottom and picks 5 up the oysters in the usualmanner. When the dredge is full, it is drawn on shipboard, ordinarily bysteam-power, and may be hung upon a strong post, as shown in Fig. 3.\Vhen in this position, the link is disengaged from rod 12 and thecatches disengaged from the end rail of the lower frame, which leavesthe two frames free to separate and dump the contents of the dredge,thus avoiding all lifting by hand-labor in dumping the dredge, which wasnecessary in the various forms heretofore in use.

It will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to the exactdetails of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that theymay be varied greatly without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.For instance,

any ordinary or preferred style of catches and holding devices may besubstituted for those illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. ,An oyster-dredgeconsisting of a blade,

' draftarms, a lower frame pivotally connected to the blade and carryingthe usual bottom,

an upper frame, also pivotally secured to the blade and carrying anetting, and catches whereby the frames are secured together in use anddisengaged to dump thedredge.

2. The combination, with the blade and draft-arms of an oyster-dredge,two frames pivotally secured at the ends of the blade, one of saidframes carrying a bottom and the other the usual top netting.

3,. In an oysterdredge, the blade and a lower frame pivotally connectedthereto and carrying a bottom,in combination with an upper frameconsisting of side pieces and an end bar having catches 11, adapted toengage the outer rail of the lower frame.

4. The blade and lower frame pivotally secured thereto and having alink, 13, in combination with an upper frame consisting ofside piecesand an end bar having catches 11 and rod 12, said catches being adaptedto engage the outer rail of the lower frame andsaid rod to be engaged bythe link to lock the two frames in the closed position, substantially asdescribed.

5. In an oyster-dredge, two independent frames pivotally connected tothe blade, one

of said frames having the usual bottom, the other the usual netting, andsecuring devices whereby said frames are locked together in use. w i vIn testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER oooK.

Witnesses:

JOHN W. BURRILL, HIRAM T. TAYLOR.

